Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a rotating control device. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and a method of transmitting data from a rotating control device.
Description of the Related Art
Drilling a wellbore for hydrocarbons requires significant expenditures of manpower and equipment. Thus, constant advances are being sought to reduce any downtime of equipment and expedite any repairs that become necessary. Rotating equipment is particularly prone to maintenance as the drilling environment produces abrasive cuttings detrimental to the longevity of rotating seals, bearings, and packing elements.
In a typical drilling operation, a drill bit is attached to a drill pipe. Thereafter, a drive unit rotates the drill pipe using a drive member as the drill pipe and drill bit are urged downward to form the wellbore. Several components are used to control the gas or fluid pressure. Typically, one or more blow out preventers (BOP) is used to seal the mouth of the wellbore. In many instances, a conventional rotating control device is mounted above the BOP stack. An internal portion of the conventional rotating control device is designed to seal and rotate with the drill pipe. The internal portion typically includes an internal sealing element mounted on a plurality of bearings. The internal sealing element may consist of a first seal arrangement on a lower portion of the rotating control device and a second seal arrangement on an upper portion of the rotating control device. Over time, the lower seal arrangement may leak (or fail) due to wear, which only leaves the upper seal arrangement to seal and rotate with the drill pipe.
It is important for an operator to know when the lower seal arrangement in the rotating control device is leaking because if the upper seal arrangement leaks or fails, then the wellbore fluid will be released in the surrounding environment. This is particularly important in an offshore drilling operation where the rotating control device is disposed below the rig in the surrounding seawater. A problem arises when data about the operation of the rotating control device is to be sent to the operator. The problem results from the fact that data cannot be effectively transmitted from the rotating control device to the operator due to the surrounding seawater. There is a need therefore, for an apparatus and method for data transmission from a rotating control device.